RNA interference (RNAi) is a powerful tool for suppressing gene expression, and much research has been directed at efforts to develop an efficient delivery method for small interference RNA (siRNA). Conventional complexation or encapsulation of siRNA with polymers or lipids can often require multi-step synthesis of carriers or relatively ineffectual encapsulation processes; furthermore, such approaches often involve introducing a significant amount of an additional component, which can lead to greater potential for immunogenic response or toxicity. In addition, the amount of siRNA per carrier is limited due to the rigidity of double stranded siRNA, low surface charge of individual siRNA, and low loading efficiency, making RNAi encapsulation particularly challenging. Furthermore, RNAi requires specialized synthesis and is often available in small quantities at high cost, making it a very costly cargo that is delivered with fairly low efficiency carriers. Thus, there is a continuing need for new insights on improved technologies for efficient delivery of nucleic acids such as siRNA.